June 9 (SeeNews) - Croatia's ruling conservative HDZ party has agreed a coalition government with People's Party, HNS, in which the liberal party will get two ministerial seats and a deputy PM position, prime minister Andrej Plenkovic said late on Thursday.
Plenkovic is due to seek support for his new ministerial lineup in parliament as early as Friday, he said at a news conference aired live by public broadcaster HRT.
The new deputy PM and construction minister will be HNS vice-president Predrag Stromar, the education ministry will be led by HNS's Blazenka Divjak, the justice ministry by HDZ's Drazen Bosnjakovic, internal affairs by HDZ's Davor Bozinovic, the energy ministry will be led by HDZ's Tomislav Coric, HDZ's Marko Pavic will serve as labour minister, while HDZ's Lovro Kuscevic will be administration minister.
The remaining ministerial seats will be filled by HDZ ministers from the previous coalition government led by the party which collapsed in May, after Plenkovic dismissed the ministers from junior coalition partner MOST party for refusing to support finance minister Zdravko Maric, against whom the opposition had filed a no-confidence motion.
HDZ has 56 of 151 seats in parliament, while HNS has 9. However, several HNS MPs said they disapprove of the decision for a HDZ-HNS coalition, and will vote against their coalition government.
HDZ also enjoys the support of several right-wing MPs in parliament, but it is unclear yet whether it can muster a majority.
HNS was previously in a coalition with opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP). Several experts are predicting that the coalition with HDZ is the end of the party.
Citizens of Zagreb have also been leaving candles in front of the HNS headquarters in a symbolic burial.